It was a frustrating deadline day for Rodgers in August and the Reds have not enjoyed the start to the season they would have liked, with last weekend's 1-1 draw against Newcastle leaving them 12th in the Premier League ahead of Sunday's trip to Chelsea.

Liverpool are light on firepower having allowed Andy Carroll to join West Ham on loan, and Rodgers has confirmed he does intend to strengthen in January.

He said: "I am confident we will be able to reinforce the squad. We know we need to get the group some help and I am sure we will do that.

"The quicker we can get it done the better and that will certainly be the aim."

Liverpool will come up against former striker Fernando Torres this weekend, and Rodgers was bemused by a suggestion that he might want to bring the Spaniard back to Anfield in the future.

"I have never heard that before," said Rodgers, speaking at a press conference to preview the Chelsea game, before declining to answer a follow-up question.

Luis Suarez, signed as Torres left for Chelsea in January 2011, has been the Reds' driving force this season, scoring seven of their 13 goals in a largely frustrating start in the Premier League.

Suarez does have his detractors but, after scoring a superb equaliser in last Sunday's draw against Newcastle, has received plenty of plaudits this week and Rodgers himself described the 25-year-old as 'unplayable'.

Rodgers said: "It is nice the football aspect of his game is being focused on, but the most important thing for Luis is he comes in every day, his concentration is good.

"His goal last week typifies the talent he is. He has been a real reference for our team and hopefully that will continue."

Rodgers is delighted to be able to work with players of the calibre of Suarez, having seen him fill the void left by Torres' switch to the Blues.

Rodgers said: "Certainly from the outside, Fernando Torres did a terrific job at Liverpool. Certainly in his first 18 months he was fantastic.

"He decided to move on. Liverpool got another world-class striker who as has been absolutely breathtaking, particularly this season.

"Obviously Fernando Torres went to Chelsea and good luck to him. I can't really comment on Fernando Torres.

"I can only comment on the short period I have been in here and working with Luis Suarez. I am blessed to work at a great club with great players and Luis is one of them.

"Liverpool have done terrific out of the deal and got a real top player here."

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t's wrong to be making a joke out of Bender's name at the expense of gay people. It's the kind of childish, uncivilised thing that Football365 would deride and ridicule if it was another media outlet saying. Why is there a need for jokes like this? Does it make your writers feel like men? F365 might suggest that I 'lighten up', but it is genuinely traumatic for people who have been oppressed all their lives to be the butt of jokes, and to be told...

ou can't blame De Gea for wanting to leave, he has enough to do in front of goal as it is as well as taking on the role of Man Utd's version of Derek Acorah in trying to contact and organise a defence that isn't there.